The Latest: Morikawa setting an early target at British Open

SANDWICH, England (AP) — The Latest on the British Open (all times local):

11:25 a.m.

It hasn’t taken long for Collin Morikawa to figure out this business of links golf.

The former PGA champion made back-to-back birdies at the turn. He made back-to-back birdies on the 11th and 12th. That put Morikawa at 6-under par through 12 holes in the second round at the British Open. And there’s suddenly the possibility of the major championship record of 62 set by Branden Grace at Royal Birkdale in 2017.

The 24-year-old Californian has made only one bogey so far at Royal St. George’s, and he’s on a run of 26 consecutive holes with par or better.

He was at 9 under for the championship, three shots clear of a pair of South Africans. One is Daniel Van Tonder, who was in the second group off and shot 66. The other is Louis Oosthuizen, who plays in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy keeps slipping farther behind. He three-putted the first for bogey. He missed the green with a wedge at No. 2 for another bogey. He finally picked up a birdie on the fourth, but was 10 shots back.

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10:15 a.m.

Collin Morikawa is enjoying his first links test.

The 2020 PGA champion birdied the first and fifth holes in his second round at the British Open and is tied for second on 5 under par. That’s one shot behind Louis Oosthuizen.

Tony Finau is another American making a run at Royal St George’s. He rolled in a putt from 10 feet at the par-4 eighth hole for his third birdie of the day and is 3 under.

Finau was third at Royal Portrush in 2019 and tied for ninth at Carnoustie the year before.

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8:40 a.m.

The world’s best golfers are encountering overcast conditions and a light breeze at the start of the second day at the British Open.

And birdies were proving hard to come by early on at Royal St. George’s. There wasn’t one on the first or second holes among the first eight groups to tee off.

Francesco Molinari, the 2018 champion at Carnoustie, did eventually make birdie at the par-4 opening hole after an approach to within 2 feet and he moved to 3 under for the tournament.

That leaves Molinari three shots off the lead held by Louis Oosthuizen, who is among the afternoon starters.

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